Travel News

Venice Starts Second Year of San Marco Project

For the second consecutive year the Municipality of Venice, the Associazione Piazza San Marco and Costa Cruises are staging the "San Marco Guardians" project in Venice. From 10 am to 5 pm each day starting May 21 through October 6, 2013, a team of at least eight hostesses and stewards will be on duty in San Marco Square; two team members will be deployed from 5.30 pm to 7.30 pm for the same period. Their job is to sensitize people to the need to respect the square and make proper use of the public and private services available there, by explaining the municipal ordinances in force.  They are also required to report any violations of council by laws to the local police.  The "San Marco Guardians", recognizable by their orange sweaters, speak a number of foreign languages so they can communicate with visitors to Venice from all over the world. Last year the project ran from May through September and was highly successful and welcomed by police, public institutions, trades people, tourists, residents and entrepreneurs.   

Virgin America Tops Consumer Reports of US Airlines

Consumer Reports said its readers gave Virgin America a satisfaction score of 89, based on the experiences of 16,663 subscribers on 31,732 flights from January 2012 to January 2013. Tied for second were Southwest Airlines and JetBlue Airways at 85. Spirit Airlines took the last spot with a score of 50. This year's survey ranked 11 airlines. The largest U.S. carrier, United Airlines, ranked 10th out 11 at 63 with American Airlines No. 9 with 66, US Airways at No. 8 with 66 and Delta Air Lines at No. 7 with 71. Hawaiian came in 4th with a score of 82, Alaska was 5th with a score of 81 and Frontier was 6th with a score of 78. The airlines were given points for check-in, cabin service, baggage handling, seating and in-flight entertainment.

Explorer of the Seas to Sail from Port Canaveral in Late 2014

Royal Caribbean International announced yesterday new Caribbean cruises for the Explorer of the Seas from November 2014 through early January 2015. After eight consecutive years dedicated to the New York metropolitan area with year-round sailings from Cape Liberty Cruise Port, the Explorer will redeploy to Port Canaveral, to offer a range of four- to nine-night Bahamas, and Western and Southern Caribbean vacations. Throughout the short season, the Explorer will join the Freedom and Enchantment of the Seas at Port Canaveral to offer the most ships and itinerary options to the Bahamas and the Caribbean from Central Florida's Space Coast.

American Queen Buys Empress of the North Riverboat

The American Queen Steamboat Co. has purchased the Empress of the North, a riverboat that last sailed for the defunct Majestic America Line in 2008, from the U.S. Maritime Administration for an undisclosed price. The 223-passenger paddle wheeler will be renovated and renamed the American Empress. The crew will comprise 80 hotel staff and 17 deck staff, all locally hired in the Pacific Northwest region. The American Empress will sail Pacific Northwest cruises, cruising the Columbia and Snake rivers, starting next April. The ship will sail between Portland, OR, and Clarkston, WA. Ports of call include Astoria, Stevenson, The Dalles, Umatilla, and Richland. The American Queen Steamboat Co. revived Mississippi River cruising last year with the American Queen, another former Majestic America Line riverboat. The American Empress will be ready to take online bookings by the end of this week.

News is courtesy of ARTA Online.

AccuWeather is Forecasting Active Hurricane Season

AccuWeather is forecasting an above-normal season, according to its annual preseason report just released. The company says there will be 24 named storms, of which eight could become hurricanes and four of which could become major storms of Category 3 or more. The average number of storms, based on data from NOAA starting in 1981, is 12 named storms, six hurricanes and three major hurricanes. AccuWeather bases its predictions on the presence of warm water across the Atlantic and Caribbean, less frequent wind shears and less Saharan dust.

Senate Committee Votes for Fingerprinting Foreign Travelers at US Airports

The Senate Judiciary Committee voted yesterday in favor of an amendment to an immigration reform bill that would require officials at US airports to collect fingerprints or hand prints of all foreign travelers leaving the country. The amendment passed 13-5, along with another amendment calling for a study on the costs of implementing such a fingerprinting system. The program would be under the control of the Department of Transportation and take place in three phases. The proposal is still far from law: the Senate Judiciary Committee first has to vote to pass the full bill, including the amendment, on to the full Senate floor, which it is aiming to do by Wednesday. Then, after it passes the full Senate, the House must vote in favor of the immigration reform bill and the President needs to sign it.

Southwest to Fly Between Houston Hobby and Washington National

Southwest announced yesterday that new service between Houston Hobby and Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport will begin Aug. 4, 2013. The airline initially will operate one daily roundtrip flight between the two cities. To celebrate the new service, the carrier announced introductory $149 one-way fares between Houston and Washington, DC available now through May 24, in the respective time zone of the originating city. Travel from August 4 through November 1. Travel is valid only on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays and fares are valid on nonstop service only.

EasyJet Lowers Cabin Baggage Allowance

EasyJet has announced a 'guaranteed' cabin baggage allowance which is 37% below the maximum size allowed, because its packed planes can't always fit passengers' luggage on-board. The budget airline currently allows luggage to be taken into the cabin if it's below the maximum size of 56cm by 45cm by 25cm, a total of 63 liters per bag. This will continue to be the maximum cabin allowance. But from July 2, EasyJet is cutting the dimensions for baggage that is guaranteed for the cabin down to 50cm by 40cm by 20cm, including handles, pockets and wheels, to a total of just 40 liters. There is no weight limit on cabin baggage. EasyJet said there are already occasions when there is not enough space for everyone's cabin baggage, and some of the biggest bags on the flight have to be put in the hold.

Royal Princess to Cruise from New York

Princess has announced that its new Royal Princess will cruise from New York in the fall of 2014. The 3,560-passenger vessel will sail four seven-night voyages out of New York to Canada and New England in September and October 2014. The itinerary will include stops in Boston; Bar Harbor, Newport, and the Canadian ports of Halifax and Saint John. Scheduled to debut in June, the Royal Princess will be the first new Princess ship in nearly five years and the first of a new series at the line. The vessel will boast several notable new features and amenities including a glass-bottomed SeaWalk over the ocean and an outdoor water and light show.

G Adventures Launches New Amazon Riverboat

G Adventures is increasing its capacity on the Amazon River by more than 30% with the launch of a newly refurbished, purpose-built vessel for 2013. The Queen Violet can carry 32 passengers in 16 cabins that are all outside facing and designed for viewing the wildlife, communities and villages along the river as guests cruise through the rainforest. The Queen Violet has large open deck spaces where briefings with naturalists take place during voyages. Each journey along the Amazon includes visits to local villages where travelers learn about local life from schooling to handicrafts, and spend some time with a local family. The new Amazon Riverboat sails the Amazon Riverboat Adventure itinerary. This nine-day trip from Lima is priced from $1500 per person, for departures from May 2013 - January 2014. Included are return flights from Lima to Iquitos, six nights aboard the Queen Violet Amazon riverboat with meals, two nights in comfort hotels with breakfast, arrival transfer, canopy walkway excursion in Pacaya-Samiria National Reserve, and launches and land excursions with G Adventures' naturalist team.

News is courtesy of ARTA Online.

US Border Control Implements New Technology to Reduce Long Lines

The United State Border Control has implemented new technology aimed at reducing lines and increasing the efficiency of the United States border crossing process. Launching first in the Vancouver International Airport, and then followed closely by Chicago's O'Hare, the technology will allow for passengers to skip the traditional filled out documents in favor of the now-ubiquitous e-kiosks. The new program is called Automated Passport Control. It has the ability to set the global standard for improving passenger efficiency when travelling to the United States. Automated Passport Control will eliminate the declaration card by placing all of the necessary questions on the kiosk. Travelers will then receive a printed receipt and show the receipt rather than the hand-written card.  Travelers will then show their passport, kiosk receipt and any other travel information to the customs agent for processing.

Holland America is Changing the Name of Their Alaska Tour Business

Holland America has announced it will change the name of its Alaska cruise-tour product to Land + Sea Journeys. These tours have been sold under the Alaska Cruise Tours brand. The company said the new name reflects program changes that mean more time in marquee destinations and less overland travel. As an example, the motor coach trip between Fairbanks and Dawson City, which involved up to two days of travel, will be replaced by a one-hour flight. The 2014 program will include 12 options, all of which involve a Holland America Line cruise and a stay in Denali National Park. Some of the tours also include the Yukon.

Safety of Boeing 787 Challenged by Safety Groups

Two air-passenger advocacy groups have demanded the US limit flights on the Dreamliner until the safety of its batteries is proven. FlyersRights.org and the Aviation Consumer Action Project are petitioning the FAA and the DOT for a two hour limit from the nearest airport for the safety of passengers and crew. The plane was certified to fly up to 3 hours from the nearest airport in 2011. Both groups believe the battery problems have not been fully tested. Lithium batteries have been labeled as hazardous by the FAA and banned from being carried as cargo on most passenger jets.  In one year of operations of 52,000 hours there have been several 787 battery failures versus one for every 10 million hours of predicted by Boeing. The advocacy groups' formal petition is backed up by testimony from a Massachusetts Institute of Technology professor, a prominent battery-safety consultant and former DOT Inspector General Mary Schiavo. Limiting the 787 to flights within two hours of the nearest airport would ban 787 trans-Pacific flights, flights over the North Pole. Flights between the U.S. and Europe over the north Atlantic and flights over land would not be affected by a two-hour limit.

Carnival Trying Out One-Way Cruises

For the first time, Carnival will offer a series of one-way cruises from New York to San Juan and from San Juan to New York. The eight-day trips will stop in St. Thomas, St. Kitts, Anguilla and St. Maarten. There will be six voyages, starting in October 2014. The Carnival Splendor will offer four-, five- and seven-day Canada/New England cruises running from June to October 2014. The ship's primary routes will continue to be eight-day roundtrip cruises to Florida/Bahamas or the eastern Caribbean.

Carnival Cruise Line Pulls out of the U.K. and Europe

Carnival has announced it would take its ships out of the UK and Ireland and return them to US ports. The cruise line said the reason was market conditions, increasing air fares and that most of the passengers originated in the US. This year Carnival is operating one ship, the Carnival Legend, in the Baltic and the Med and the Carnival Sunshine which leaves the Med in November. The Legend is headed for Sydney next year. 

Holland America Adding Port of Trujillo to Its Caribbean Ports

The Banana Coast has signed Holland America Line as the first cruise line to schedule regular calls at the first mainland Honduras cruise port at Trujillo. The Ryndam is scheduled to call at Banana Coast 11 times between 2014 and 2015 on its western Caribbean itineraries. The ship's Nov. 19, 2014, call is Banana Coast's first scheduled visit by a cruise ship, followed by the Dec. 17, 2014, call from Silversea Cruises' Silver Cloud. Themed "Where the Rainforest Meets the Sea," the $30 million Banana Coast project is the newest cruise destination in the western Caribbean. Construction on the passenger-reception and shopping center was completed in February and a full slate of shore excursions has been designed. Future plans call for construction of a two-berth, post-Panama pier. In March 2012 Banana Coast developers unveiled a diverse shore excursion program designed to offer something for everyone, including cultural, historical, soft-adventure and eco-tour offerings.

News is courtesy of ARTA Online.

Universal Orlando Resort to Expand Harry Potter Theme

Universal Orlando Resort and Warner Bros. Entertainment have announced an expansion of historic proportion with the entirely new themed environment, The Wizarding World of Harry Potter - Diagon Alley. Scheduled to open in 2014, the world's first centrally themed, multi-park experience expands The Wizarding World of Harry Potter across both Universal Orlando theme parks and allows Universal's creative team to bring an unparalleled vision to this unique project. The new area will bring to life some of the experiences and places found in and around London in the Harry Potter books and films, offering new adventures for fans and theme park guests from around the world. Diagon Alley and "London" will be located within the Universal Studios Florida theme park, which is adjacent to Universal's Islands of Adventure theme park, where guests now experience Hogwarts and Hogsmeade. According to officials, the new area within Universal Studios will be just as expansive, immersive and authentic as the existing themed environment. And, just like in the books and films, guests will be able to travel between "London" and Hogsmeade aboard the Hogwarts Express. Work on the new area is already underway. When complete, it will feature shops, a restaurant and an innovative, marquee attraction based on Gringotts bank, all directly inspired by the fiction and films.

Cedar Point Gets a New Rollercoaster

A new, $30 million winged rollercoaster called Gate Keeper will soon be open to the public at Ohio's Cedar Point. Gate Keeper is designed to mimic flight. It's two-minutes, 40 seconds of flips, drops and spirals. The coaster is 4,164 feet long and travels at speeds of up to 67 mph. Park officials say it has set world records for the tallest drop, longest track and most inversions of any winged rollercoaster. On a winged coaster, riders sit on either side of the track with nothing above their heads or below their feet. Two of the park's old rides, Disaster Transport and the Space Spiral, were taken down to make way for Gate Keeper.

United Airlines to Fly Chicago to San Juan

United Airlines has announced it will begin daily flights from its hub at Chicago's O'Hare International Airport to the Luis Munoz Marin International Airport in San Juan, Puerto Rico, on November 5, 2013. The flight will depart Chicago at 8:20 a.m., arriving in San Juan at 2:57 p.m.  The return flight will depart San Juan at 3:55 p.m. and arrive in Chicago at 7:13 p.m.  The route will be operated with Boeing 737-900 aircraft with seating for 20 in United First, 51 in Economy Plus and 96 in Economy.  The airline also announced that it will add a second daily flight for the holiday season from December 4 through January 5.

Voyages to Antiquity Cancels Winter Sailings Due to Bad Weather

Voyages to Antiquity has stopped its entire winter 2013-14 program in Asia after its ship was battered by torrential rain, rough seas and gale force winds in the region in January and February. This leaves the ship, Aegean Odyssey laid up in Greece for the winter. An unspecified number of passengers booked on the cruises will either get their deposits returned or be given the option to sail in 2014-15 when a preliminary program is released in six to eight weeks time. The company said "The fact is that despite many positive aspects, the program of 2012-13 had a number of voyages which encountered several unpredicted challenges beyond its control including abnormally bad weather systems." The ship was subjected to winds of up to force 10 in strength and ocean swells of between 18 and 33ft often accompanied by torrential rain during its debut winter in the South China Sea. The winter sailings were due to run between November and March following a similar route to the first season. The revised program of destinations for 2014-15 will not include the areas which saw such severe weather conditions this year, but still visit places that provide the interest.

Cheaper Calls for Cruise Ship Passengers in the Future

Mobile carriers are finally responding to cruise passenger complaints about the high cost of calling and roaming at sea. Cruise ship passengers wanting to place or receive mobile calls have been held hostage by high rates of $2.50 to $6 per minute thanks to monopoly control of the bandwidth and onboard equipment by the cruise lines and carriers. The only alternative for passengers has been to use a satellite phone for about $1.25-$1.50 per minute. Two new service offerings are now selling mobile minutes at rates for $1 per minute and less, on par with local roaming rates. One is a joint venture between AT&T and Wireless Maritime Services called AT&T Cruise Ship package, and the other is an app from MTN called Connect At Sea. The MTN Connect at Sea application replicates cellular service at a significantly lower cost. It can be installed on any iOS or Android device that has Wi-Fi capability.

News is courtesy of ARTA Online.

Universal Orlando Resort to Expand Harry Potter Theme

Universal Orlando Resort and Warner Bros. Entertainment have announced an expansion of historic proportion with the entirely new themed environment, The Wizarding World of Harry Potter - Diagon Alley. Scheduled to open in 2014, the world's first centrally themed, multi-park experience expands The Wizarding World of Harry Potter across both Universal Orlando theme parks and allows Universal's creative team to bring an unparalleled vision to this unique project. The new area will bring to life some of the experiences and places found in and around London in the Harry Potter books and films, offering new adventures for fans and theme park guests from around the world. Diagon Alley and "London" will be located within the Universal Studios Florida theme park, which is adjacent to Universal's Islands of Adventure theme park, where guests now experience Hogwarts and Hogsmeade. According to officials, the new area within Universal Studios will be just as expansive, immersive and authentic as the existing themed environment. And, just like in the books and films, guests will be able to travel between "London" and Hogsmeade aboard the Hogwarts Express. Work on the new area is already underway. When complete, it will feature shops, a restaurant and an innovative, marquee attraction based on Gringotts bank, all directly inspired by the fiction and films.

Cedar Point Gets a New Rollercoaster

A new, $30 million winged rollercoaster called Gate Keeper will soon be open to the public at Ohio's Cedar Point. Gate Keeper is designed to mimic flight. It's two-minutes, 40 seconds of flips, drops and spirals. The coaster is 4,164 feet long and travels at speeds of up to 67 mph. Park officials say it has set world records for the tallest drop, longest track and most inversions of any winged rollercoaster. On a winged coaster, riders sit on either side of the track with nothing above their heads or below their feet. Two of the park's old rides, Disaster Transport and the Space Spiral, were taken down to make way for Gate Keeper.

United Airlines to Fly Chicago to San Juan

United Airlines has announced it will begin daily flights from its hub at Chicago's O'Hare International Airport to the Luis Munoz Marin International Airport in San Juan, Puerto Rico, on November 5, 2013. The flight will depart Chicago at 8:20 a.m., arriving in San Juan at 2:57 p.m.  The return flight will depart San Juan at 3:55 p.m. and arrive in Chicago at 7:13 p.m.  The route will be operated with Boeing 737-900 aircraft with seating for 20 in United First, 51 in Economy Plus and 96 in Economy.  The airline also announced that it will add a second daily flight for the holiday season from December 4 through January 5.

Voyages to Antiquity Cancels Winter Sailings Due to Bad Weather

Voyages to Antiquity has stopped its entire winter 2013-14 program in Asia after its ship was battered by torrential rain, rough seas and gale force winds in the region in January and February. This leaves the ship, Aegean Odyssey laid up in Greece for the winter. An unspecified number of passengers booked on the cruises will either get their deposits returned or be given the option to sail in 2014-15 when a preliminary program is released in six to eight weeks time. The company said "The fact is that despite many positive aspects, the program of 2012-13 had a number of voyages which encountered several unpredicted challenges beyond its control including abnormally bad weather systems." The ship was subjected to winds of up to force 10 in strength and ocean swells of between 18 and 33ft often accompanied by torrential rain during its debut winter in the South China Sea. The winter sailings were due to run between November and March following a similar route to the first season. The revised program of destinations for 2014-15 will not include the areas which saw such severe weather conditions this year, but still visit places that provide the interest.

Cheaper Calls for Cruise Ship Passengers in the Future

Mobile carriers are finally responding to cruise passenger complaints about the high cost of calling and roaming at sea. Cruise ship passengers wanting to place or receive mobile calls have been held hostage by high rates of $2.50 to $6 per minute thanks to monopoly control of the bandwidth and onboard equipment by the cruise lines and carriers. The only alternative for passengers has been to use a satellite phone for about $1.25-$1.50 per minute. Two new service offerings are now selling mobile minutes at rates for $1 per minute and less, on par with local roaming rates. One is a joint venture between AT&T and Wireless Maritime Services called AT&T Cruise Ship package, and the other is an app from MTN called Connect At Sea. The MTN Connect at Sea application replicates cellular service at a significantly lower cost. It can be installed on any iOS or Android device that has Wi-Fi capability.

News is courtesy of ARTA Online.